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Question on changing to different saw blades on Doall band saw

steve-l

Titanium
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Location
Geilenkirchen, Germany
I have a Doall 1612-0M bandsaw. I have had it for quite a while, but never set it up to use. I have acquired all the manuals, but I am confused about the band guides. Is it really necessary to have different blade guides for every blade width I wish to use?. I have only one set on the machine and from what I can deduct from the parts manual, there are 3 different size guides that cover blade widths from 1/16" to 1" in width. These 3 different sizes also appear to have steel backup bearings, carbide backup bearings and a roller (bearing) set for high speed continuous use.

The reason I ask is that this could be very expensive to get them all knowing Doall pricing. So what is it everybody else does?
 
I don't know about that particular model of bandsaw, but on most bandsaws the guides are adjustable for the full range of blade widths supported by the machine. If DoAll doesn't do it that way, you may be able to build your own guide with a greater range of adjustability.

[Added in edit] I took a look at the 1612-0 parts manual and see what you are talking about. It looks like you'd need at least two different upper and lower assemblies, plus a few extra parts to cover the whole 1/16" to 1" range. Maybe all three assemblies, I didn't try to work up a complete BOM. I have no idea why DoAll broke it into 1/16-1/2, 5/8-3/4, and 1" ranges. The two larger guide sizes are pretty specific.
 
I don't know about that particular model of bandsaw, but on most bandsaws the guides are adjustable for the full range of blade widths supported by the machine. If DoAll doesn't do it that way, you may be able to build your own guide with a greater range of adjustability.

[Added in edit] I took a look at the 1612-0 parts manual and see what you are talking about. It looks like you'd need at least two different upper and lower assemblies, plus a few extra parts to cover the whole 1/16" to 1" range. Maybe all three assemblies, I didn't try to work up a complete BOM. I have no idea why DoAll broke it into 1/16-1/2, 5/8-3/4, and 1" ranges. The two larger guide sizes are pretty specific.

After more careful inspection and disassembly, the guide castings are not marked that I can see, but the inserts are. There are already installed marked 1/2" inserts. They are 3/8" thick. So it appears my existing guides can use blades 1/16" to 1/2" with just different inserts. However, the installed band is 3/4" and it rides toward the left edge of the tire, so it is obviously wrong, but it appears to work. I suspect all I need to get are the inserts for the different blade widths up to 1/2. Like Red James said, it is a contouring saw and I will never need larger. (I have a 12" horizontal saw for large cut off jobs.) It also appears that for each size band, I will also need an installation gauge. I will send another query to DoAll for insert pricing.
 
If you've got the manual, check to see where the blade is supposed to ride w.r.t. the wheel. Basically, flat wheel or crowned wheel. On my Inca three-wheeler, the teeth of the blade ride off the edge of the flat wheel (which makes tracking a 1/16" blade sort of touchy!). On machines with crowned wheels, the blade will naturally try to track at the center of the crown.
 
If you've got the manual, check to see where the blade is supposed to ride w.r.t. the wheel. Basically, flat wheel or crowned wheel. On my Inca three-wheeler, the teeth of the blade ride off the edge of the flat wheel (which makes tracking a 1/16" blade sort of touchy!). On machines with crowned wheels, the blade will naturally try to track at the center of the crown.

Interesting question. On page 12 the manual states on band tracking that the band should track at the approximate center of the tire and when adjusting, the upper wheel tilt should be adjusted so that the band just touches the the back up bearings on the band guides. These are not adjustable and fixed in position, so it makes sense.
 
Not that I'm promoting Jet over DoAll, but the guides on my 14" Jet (recent wood/metal derivative of a Delta/Rockwell clone) are fully adjustable, including the position of the backup bearings. In case "Jet" gives someone a case of hives, the same is true for my Swiss-made Inca 710 20" bandsaw.

Well, you've got to live with what you've got. Sounds like you've got a relatively inexpensive way of covering the 1/16-1/2" range.
 
The back guides should not be adjustable sans adjusting guide arms, those two points are datum to saw. With rubber wheels it really does not matter where band rides, should be identical top and bottom, and just enough fractions of air molecules between back of blade and back guides to say not kissing. Guide width should be tooth length x about 2. With a contour saw less guide and looser guides relieve blade stress. Can you convert roller guides to carbides or ceramics? Bearings are not kind to blades. a 1/16" blade sounds kinda badass actually- contour fractals.
 
Adjust top wheel tracking to bring blade to correct place on wheels, New tyres and recrown if needed, then and only then bring the guides up to the blade, kinda bandsaw 010.

If your trying to push the blade into a diffrent place on the wheels the guides are set wrong and results will suck.
 








 
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